Hebrew University professor challenges Roman historian's claim about Jewish sect

Conventional scholarship, and most notably the Roman historian Jospehus, believes the Essenes were a religious Jewish group that was located in Judea before the fall of the Second Temple in 70 CE. However, according to Hebrew University Professor Rachel Elior, Josephus and 'conventional scholarship' has it wrong: There were no Essenes – ever.

According to Prof. Elior, 60 years of research involving the Dead Sea Scrolls has been "wasted" seeking Essene authorship in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Prof. Elior asserts that the Qumran scrolls were, instead, written by ousted temple priests from Jerusalem.

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